“Then perhaps a letter to her house telling of her great work and positive virtues may be appropriate. Maybe one of you who writes well could do it” suggests Janus
"She isn't a maga until she has completed a Gauntlet and been accepted by her parens and House," says Thom. "As is required of all of us according to the dictates our of various Houses. I will be needing a lab to work on inventing the Wizard's Vigil. Does anyone object to my using Tacitus's lab for the season? Unless you wish to Cath'rinne? Or Betula?"
“You can have Frederic’s old lab in Spring and Summer if you need it, but it’s focus in Ignem does come at a detriment to more general work” replies Janus
"She didn't have any teaching during one year. She is something like an abandonned apprentice, at my regard. And I don't put any notion of will in the abandon, be clear about that. And accepted by her parens ? Maybe her parens is dead, that seems the more realistic way about him or her, according to my vision.
I'm fully agree to take the responsability of her adoption in my house to give her her gauntlet. But I can't consider her as an apprentice with her work."
"While I agree that she has done good work here, managing the covenant in her master's absence, that may be irrelevant in her passing the Gauntlet of her House. Since none of us is a Bonisagus, what right would we have to take her as an apprentice? All we could do is report the situation to a quaesitor... who happens to live at Blackthorn, if I'm not mistaken."
"In the same way, our right to declare her a maga in one of our Houses is limited. House Tremere would react poorly -- which we can hardly afford even if we were not at war."
Thadeus sighs, "I think we did all we could for Caelha. Like you, I wish we could do more. But overstepping will make things worse, not better."
In my vision, she is a possession of a certainly dead magi. Claim her now, as orphan, is slightly diffferent as take it to a magi who was there. I'm agree to take the responsability. If her parens came back, I will assume the consequencies of my ... thievery... But, an apprentice who has no teaching and let in charge of a covenant for one year... I definitively can't consider her as apprentice.
"I'll just take that little cramped lab to use to invent the Wizard's Vigil from the casting tablet," says Thomas after a while. "That should keep me out of anyone's way."
The Merinita shrugs at the discussion of Caelha.
"Whatever decision is made, we shouldn't open ourselves to greater risk with her. She has earned the right to have one of her House complete her training and doesn't deserve to become a pawn to be pulled apart by House politics. We have enough of that with the War."
Adressing Sionag, Thadeus adds, "You are of course free to treat Caelha as you wish. But if you intend to claim her as your apprentice, yet accord her the respect due to a full maga, then perhaps you should determine her wishes first?"
"As for the return of her parens, we have seen his body ourselves. It is more a question of how House Tremere will determine her status and future parens."
Osgar and Mildred are grateful for a chance to talk properly with the new management. They have already noticed Caelha's concern for the future. «Will things be changing?» they ask. «Or do you want us keep it running as we used to?» I assume Thadeus reassures them, calling for stability, which prompts them to point out the fact that the servants are overworked with so many magi and clerks in residence.
The grogs are less concerned, putting their faith in Osgar, for the lack of a turb captain. The new grogs are included in barracks life, although Sasso and Telsa may be more suited for scouting and foraging than for the domestic turb captain.
Hamish walks over to Janus, Thadeus, and Cath'rinne.
"So... You need me to lead your turb? Or should I move on?"
“I would welcome you taking the post” states Janus looking to the others for their opinion.
Thadeus does indeed reassure Osgar and Mildred that the magi aim for stability. He also nods when the limited capacity of the servants, faced with so many magi in residence. "We must look at adding more servants. Pass the word to everyone, that if they have family members who might be interested in working for Ungulus, we are looking fo more good people. That goes for the fighting men too."
He'll talk to Osgar one-on-one, too, in order to see how he and the grogs would react if the magi were to name Hamish as the new captain of the turb.
Yes, Sasso and Telsa would be more suited to scouting and hunting than routine barrack work. Thadeus will let Osgar know, and have them work with whoever has the most local knowledge as they explore the area around the covenant for threats, game and other resources, as well as checking out neighbouring settlements.
«I don't know him,» says Osgar, «but we should have a new turb captain, and none of the current guard is quite the type to command. Some of them have not even seen combat yet. Do you think Hamish is up for the task?»
In practice, Hamish should make a leadership+presence roll to make his first impression; 6+ to make a passable appearance with no immediate tension, and 12+ to impress and gain reliable trust. It is a continuous scale, so we interpolate and extrapolate.
The four rangers try to give Sasso and Telsa an introduction to local hunting grounds, but they are less patient and experienced with the language barrier than the shield grogs, and they speak Saxon only. Reluctantly they allow them to tag along to a fishing site one day.
[Hamish's First Leadership + Presence Roll: 7]
Given time, Hamish might also apply his Folk Ken (Soldiers) and understanding to build rapport and get the turb to trust him.
"I'm agree with your proposition, Thadeus. Ask her before taking a decision about her future."
"I'm in favour of naming you to the position of turb captain, Hamish," says Thadeus with a smile. "The grogs don't seem to actively dislike you, and IM sure they can grow to respect you, like we did. But," he adds, "we will need to officialize the decision with the council of magi. We can do that the next time we meet, in the next few days."
Nauvi agrees "I have no skill in leading troops, so you would do the job most admirably. I'm sure we can make this formal soon."
Addressing the magi "I have no burning need for a lab until I need to create a spell or item for the covenant. I will wait until the new tower is ready. I propose spending the winter reading that fine work on Corpus, spending spring starting the process of outfitting a lab, and then in summer going to retrieve my dowry - if I can retrieve my shield grogs that will give us more of a turb."
"You need to enter your seasons on the log sheet, first come, first served sodalis" states Janus smiling "Although from what you say you will get what you want if you are quick"
"By the way, does your dowry include any summa, tractatus or spell lab texts? If we know it may hep people plan for subsequent seasons" asks Janus
Without no more opinion, Sionag leaves the room and looks for Caelha, asking her if she accepts to come with her to discuss in private. She goes on the room she temporary took and invites the young lady to sit with her.
"It seems we aren't introduce. I'm Sionag ex Miscellenae. I'm a Pharmacopean. I'm not the best to take a speech, really. But I want ask you something..."
Sionag thought to her sentence during all the way between the council and her room and it's with a slightly smile that she asks to the young Tremere :
"Do you think that you are ready to be a full maga ? And if you aren't, what do you think you need to become it, except a gauntlet, the parma and taking your oath ?"